Friends,

We are one week from our Inaugural “Ides of March” In-House Competition!!   The Ides of March, or March 15, marked one of three specific dates each month in the ancient Roman calendar.  However, it is significant in Western cultural history as it reflects the date that Julius Ceasar was assassinated on March 15, 44 BCE (before current events).

And just because I’m a huge history nerd, each event will be themed around the later life and political career of Julius Caesar.

As of today we have 16 brave participants!!!  Should you wish to throw your hat in the ring and test your mettle, you can do so HERE.  We are also looking for judges and other volunteers.  If you would like to participate in this event in a non-competitive way, please register to be a volunteer HERE.

In order to allow the event to move smoothly, we need to organize equipment and heats.  REGISTRATION CLOSES ON THE END OF THE DAY MONDAY MARCH 13.

To help you plan for the day, you’ll find the events below.  Each workout is designed to test four athletic domains: agility, power, lactic power, and aerobic endurance.

EVENT 1:  Caesar Outmaneuvers Pompeii

After four years of civil war Caesar defeated his political rival Pompeii, outmaneuvering him on the battlefield in 45 BCE.

Agility is a skill we work on frequently throughout our programming.  This test will be a modified version of a standardized agility test that a variety of sports and activities use to test agility:  The Illinois Agility test.  We will be modifying the scale of this test to accommodate the size of the gym.  Each athlete will have three attempts at the test.  Athletes will start every 30 seconds.

EVENT 2:   Caesar Crosses the Rubicon

In a display of political and military power, Caesar did what no other general did in the history of the Roman republic did:  he marched from Cisalpine Gaul, a Roman province, into Italy proper with his army, an action which all generals were forbidden from doing under Roman law.

Every minute on the minute, athletes will work through a series of barbells of ascending weights.  Athletes will get as many attempts in 1 minute to perform a squat clean or power clean at a specific weight.  In order to record a successful attempt, the athlete must stand up fully and demonstrate full control.  Only upon the judges signal can the bar be returned to the floor.   If an athlete approaches a weight that he/she/they doubts they can make, the athlete has the option to perform as many front squats as possible in the minute window to record a potential tie breaker score.  For example, Kevin approaches 185# and cleans the bar successfully but feels that lifting 195# will be unsuccessful.  He has the option to perform as many front squats as possible with 185# to record his final score.  The men’s and women’s weights will be as follows:

Women: 75-95-105-115-125-135-145-155

Men: 135-155-175-185-195-205-215-225

EVENT 3:  “Et tu Brute?”

On March 15, 44 BCE, Caesar was brutally assassinated by Roman Senators who had believed he had betrayed the Republic.

Each week in our program we feature a conditioning effort that is designed to push your ability to do a lot of work in a short amount of time.  These high intensity efforts, usually in interval form, quite often leave folks dead.  Will you survive?

30 seconds of max calories on the air bike followed immediately by 30 seconds of burpees….over three continuous minutes.

EVENT 4:  The Conspirators Flee

Originally thinking that the Rome was liberated after Caesar’s assassination, the major conspirators Brutus and Cassius had to flee Italy with their armies after Caesar’s supporters wrested control of the Roman Senate.  They now became hunted enemies of the state.

Time to make like Brutus and Cassius:  run and fight!

For Time
15 Strict Chinups (M) / 7 (W)
30 Single Arm Kettlebell Power Snatches, alternating (20/12 kg)
200 M Run
12 Strict Chinups (M) / 5 (W)
30 Single Arm KB Clean to Thruster, alternating (20/12 kg)
200 M Run
30 Single Arm KB Overhead Lunges, alternating legs (20/12 kg)
9 Strict Chinups (M) / 3 (W)
200 M Run

This last workout will have a 15 minute time cap.

*Scaling options are available for this workout.  Bands are lighter kettlebells will be permitted, but scaling this workout will reduce your standing in the scoring.